The Labour leader has vowed to give the UK's manufacturing sector a boost if he gets into power

He outlined in Birmingham how his party would redirect state spending to British firms to revive the country’s industrial base.

But his plans were blasted by senior Tories.

Treasury minister Robert Jenrick said: “This is laughable coming from the Labour Party who oversaw millions of jobs lost and a record decline in manufacturing. We know from last time Labour don’t know how to handle the economy and now their plan would mean higher prices for families and lower wages for workers.

“The greatest risk to jobs and investment is a Labour government led by Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell.”

Senior Tories have blasted the Labour leader for his comments on manufacturing

In the speech to the EEF manufacturers’ organisation in Birmingham, the Labour leader attacked the Government for allowing billions of pounds worth of work on passports, military ships and health supplies to go overseas.

And he promised that Labour would use state aid powers “to the full” to support Britain’s manufacturing sector post Brexit.

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Mr Corbyn slammed successive governments for favouring financial services over manufacturing. He said Labour would give British firms a greater proportion of the state’s annual £200 billion spending in the private sector.

But he shrugged off a suggestion he was being protectionist or bringing forward Donald Trump-like economic policies.

He said: “It’s not economic nationalism, it’s good sense to invest in the skills that we’ve already got here and to improve those skills for the future. Nobody’s ever said I have something in common with Donald Trump before. It’s news to both of us, I suspect.”

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